I’ve had a dream 3-day bike camping trip bubbling in my head all winter long. Day one would involve riding out to Mt. Daisen, the tallest mountain in western Japan on the other side of the prefecture, and setting up camp. On the second day, we’d hike to the mountain’s summit, then come back down and celebrate our achievement by heading to the nearby Ganbarius brewery and enjoying some tasty Japanese beers that aren’t Sapporo, Kirin, or Asahi. On the third day, we’d ride back, fat and happy.
Only recently with the warmer weather was it possible, so with the forecast looking fantastic all weekend Bronwyn took a vacation day on Monday. I actually had a bit of business to take care of during the day in Yonago, so Bronwyn and I took the train out there with bikes and panniers in tow, dropping them off at the train station’s bike parking lot for a few of hours while Bronwyn enjoyed hanami with friends.
Departing from Yonago we started the 20km ride up Daisen along route 24. Even though it was a short distance, it still took a good two and a half hours or so because it was entirely uphill ending with a long and constant 12% incline for the last couple of kilometers. Still the weather was perfect, sunny and fair at a comfortable 20 degrees C.
Though my original plan for the weekend had us riding out of Tottori, it was probably a good that we left from Yonago as I expect the last thing we’d want to do after riding some 70km would be to tackle the mountain weighed down by a full camping load.
Upon arriving at Daisen-ji, the small ski town at the base of Daisen’s summer hiking trail we set up camp and had a dinner of packaged camp food. There’s also conveniently a Mont-Bell outdoors equipment store where we picked up some snacks for the hike the next day.
We woke up early with the sunrise on Sunday. Breakfast was coffee and packaged camp hashbrowns that were entirely unsatisfying. I want to start bringing out real food for bike camping trips. I think I could’ve done a better breakfast with actual potatoes and other real ingredients.
Finishing breakfast we started the hike. It was only about 2.6km long, but with an elevation gain of around 500m. To make things more interesting, there was still plenty of snow on the ground starting from right around the timberline. Thankfully the snow was compacted from previous hikers and had been thinning from a week of warmer temperatures so it was totally manageable in our regular hiking shoes with the aid of some trekking poles.
Near the top there’s actually a wooden boardwalk of sorts that takes you to the very end where a large cabin is available for mountaineers to use for sleeping if they were making a multi-day trek out of this. We pulled out our little Pocket Rocket stove and boiled some water to hungrily devour our packets of food while enjoying the views.
It took about three hours to make the ascent. The way down was a little trickier. It was early afternoon and the sun had turned a lot of the snow into slush making for some slippery navigation, but it only took about two and a half hours to return to our camp. Along the way, right around where the snow started, we bumped into a group of friends from Yonago who were on their way up the mountain. I don’t think they knew what to expect, though, as one of them was wearing jellies. Probably not the best idea for trudging through snow.
To kill some time before dinner we headed to the Daisen temple and shrine. It was a very peaceful, beautiful area, but our muscles, after a winter of laziness, were starting to ache from the hike and the stone steps of the temple were a small challenge in themselves.
The Ganbarius Brewery was a short 5km away, all downhill. We stopped along the way at the Daisen Makiba Milk no Sato dairy farm, which Bronwyn recommended. They had THE BEST soft cream I have ever had and we were hungry enough that it in no way affected our appetite for dinner.
Finally arriving at Ganbarius, something I’d been dreaming of since… well since the last time I was there, we pored greedily over the menu, ordering up a tofu salad, a prosciutto and basil pizza, and a plate of various meat goodness. Mmm!!! Protein and carbs! Exactly what was needed. More importantly, we partook of the nomihodai (all-you-can-drink) special for 1050 yen (about $10) a head. The result was absolute drunken, satiated bliss.
After about two hours of drinking our fill we started the ride back up to our campground. It wouldn’t have been the best way to end the evening, especially considering how drunk we were, but we lucked out as a bus driver stopped and offered to drive us back up the rest of the way saving us from the vicious 12% climb we had struggled through (sober) the day before. With a full stomach, dizzy head, and entirely exhausted body I slept fantastically.
Waking up on Monday, I made a pot of coffee, and we stuck around Daisen-ji until a restaurant opened up at 10am for an early lunch. Refreshed, we started the ride home. The weather was once again perfect, and the descent to sea level was long, fast, and exhilirating. Once we reached route 9, we assumed a slow and easy touring pace of about 20kmh making for a relaxing return to Tottori.
Kudos to Bronwyn for finishing this. Getting up and down the mountain was no small feat in itself, but this is also the first time she’s carried a camping load with her. It was the closest thing she’s had to doing bike touring and I think this was a really important step in mentally preparing herself for the two-month BEE ride. Upon arriving at our doorstep, I told her, “That’s essentially what bike touring is like; touring is just longer.” To which she replied, “I can do that.”
kelly added these pithy words on 
